Hi Chuck. I love the blocks from Dry-Dock. Once I started using them I couldn’t go back
. Cheers Grant
USRC Harriet Lane Model Shipways 1:96 scale circa 1863
. Cheers Grant- Joined
- Jun 17, 2021
- Messages
- 2,707
- Points
- 588
Gorgeous!Here's where she stands today - all shrouds aboard and the fore and main stays. Ratlines next
View attachment 498327
- Joined
- May 25, 2020
- Messages
- 740
- Points
- 353
Grant! I thought as much. Thank you for the confirmation!Hi Chuck. I love the blocks from Dry-Dock. Once I started using them I couldn’t go back
- Joined
- May 25, 2020
- Messages
- 740
- Points
- 353
Hi Chuck, I loved the overall view you posted recently. She's pretty!
I'm not aware of the grooves having a particular name. They simply allow the lanyard to run smoothly through the deadeye and lay properly across the face. Yes, both sides.
- Joined
- May 25, 2020
- Messages
- 740
- Points
- 353
Paul! Thank you! Next question: what is the bit you used to make the grooves? Source? Please don't say that you've repurposed your old work tools
I'm particularly thankful for the picture. I like seeing how the sheer pole is attached. Very helpful. As usual!
Blessings.
Chuck
Cheap diamond drill bits for a rotary tool. Amazon. EBay. AliExpress.Paul! Thank you! Next question: what is the bit you used to make the grooves? Source? Please don't say that you've repurposed your old work tools
I'm particularly thankful for the picture. I like seeing how the sheer pole is attached. Very helpful. As usual!
Blessings.
Chuck
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2022
- Messages
- 240
- Points
- 143
this is just
exquisite…Here's where she stands today - all shrouds aboard and the fore and main stays. Ratlines next
View attachment 498327
- Joined
- May 25, 2020
- Messages
- 740
- Points
- 353
What ho, shipmates!
Just a short post - I'm still working on the ship and making progress. In the meantime, for the future builder, again, IGNORE anything in the instructions for this kit that tells you not to do the right thing (a/k/a the accurate thing) because it is too hard!
After you set up the shrouds on the fore and main and BEFORE you start rat'ling down - install the sheer poles. The instructions direct thee builder to just glue them in place
. That's not how it was done on a ship. It is easy to lash them to the shrouds as they would have been on a real ship - see and enlarge the pic at post #525. Although you may not be able to replicate the method shown in the picture short of using something thinner than a human hair, you can still get the job done in a workmanlike fashion.
Remember, I said "workmanlike" On the advice given to me and others before now by our shipmate @Peter Gutterman, having noticed that the sheer pole is not level, I declared victory and moved on! VICTORY!
I'll post pics later, but I'm 75% finished with the ratlines - it takes me about 4 hours per mast
and is easily the thing I like least about rigging.
For the future builder - IGNORE the out the instructions give you to omit the ratlines. If there are no ratlines how is the finished product representative of what the ship looked like? I've actually seen a log where the builder omitted the ratlines in accordance with this out. It was a disservice to the effort of the builder
Blessings.
Chuck
Just a short post - I'm still working on the ship and making progress. In the meantime, for the future builder, again, IGNORE anything in the instructions for this kit that tells you not to do the right thing (a/k/a the accurate thing) because it is too hard!
After you set up the shrouds on the fore and main and BEFORE you start rat'ling down - install the sheer poles. The instructions direct thee builder to just glue them in place
. That's not how it was done on a ship. It is easy to lash them to the shrouds as they would have been on a real ship - see and enlarge the pic at post #525. Although you may not be able to replicate the method shown in the picture short of using something thinner than a human hair, you can still get the job done in a workmanlike fashion.Remember, I said "workmanlike"
On the advice given to me and others before now by our shipmate @Peter Gutterman, having noticed that the sheer pole is not level, I declared victory and moved on! VICTORY!I'll post pics later, but I'm 75% finished with the ratlines - it takes me about 4 hours per mast
and is easily the thing I like least about rigging.For the future builder - IGNORE the out the instructions give you to omit the ratlines. If there are no ratlines how is the finished product representative of what the ship looked like? I've actually seen a log where the builder omitted the ratlines in accordance with this out. It was a disservice to the effort of the builder
Blessings.
Chuck
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2021
- Messages
- 2,707
- Points
- 588
We modelers tend to obsess over things like are the sheer poles perfectly level. Whenever I've had the opportunity to see real 1:1 sailing ships, things such as sheer poles being level and how the rope is tied off on the lanyards, or even if the deadeyes are all nice and even, is a whole lot more loosie-goosy. "Anhhh...good enough!" seems to be fairly standard.What ho, shipmates!
Just a short post - I'm still working on the ship and making progress. In the meantime, for the future builder, again, IGNORE anything in the instructions for this kit that tells you not to do the right thing (a/k/a the accurate thing) because it is too hard!
After you set up the shrouds on the fore and main and BEFORE you start rat'ling down - install the sheer poles. The instructions direct thee builder to just glue them in place
View attachment 499235
Remember, I said "workmanlike"
I'll post pics later, but I'm 75% finished with the ratlines - it takes me about 4 hours per mast
For the future builder - IGNORE the out the instructions give you to omit the ratlines. If there are no ratlines how is the finished product representative of what the ship looked like? I've actually seen a log where the builder omitted the ratlines in accordance with this out. It was a disservice to the effort of the builder
Blessings.
Chuck
She's looking really good! Love the attention to detail!
Pete
Last edited:
"We choose to build the model, not because it is easy, but because it hod" JFK
True story
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2024
- Messages
- 711
- Points
- 298
A rant!!
In 1990, The Nautical Research Guild, of which I have now been a member for 50 years, included an article in their Journal bemoaning a decline in the population of ship model builders. The article urged members to get out and promote the hobby. At the time, I thought that the article was crazy and still do. Ship model building is not a group activity. Most worthwhile models are built exactly the way that Chuck (The Gavel) is building this lovely model of Harriett Lane; by himself, with solid research, exceptional craftsmanship, and a willingness to push himself. While clubs and forums like SOS are wonderful, to me they are icing on the cake. Obviously, exceptional models have been built prior to the internet.
Unfortunately the NRG has continued to push its evangelic goals, resulting in a dumbing down of things. Although not a NRG product, the Harriett Lanen instructions reflect an intent not to make things too difficult for novice builders. I have seen models made by the designer of this kit and he would have included ratlines!
I’ll continue to build my models by myself and leave promotion of the hobby to others.
Roger
In 1990, The Nautical Research Guild, of which I have now been a member for 50 years, included an article in their Journal bemoaning a decline in the population of ship model builders. The article urged members to get out and promote the hobby. At the time, I thought that the article was crazy and still do. Ship model building is not a group activity. Most worthwhile models are built exactly the way that Chuck (The Gavel) is building this lovely model of Harriett Lane; by himself, with solid research, exceptional craftsmanship, and a willingness to push himself. While clubs and forums like SOS are wonderful, to me they are icing on the cake. Obviously, exceptional models have been built prior to the internet.
Unfortunately the NRG has continued to push its evangelic goals, resulting in a dumbing down of things. Although not a NRG product, the Harriett Lanen instructions reflect an intent not to make things too difficult for novice builders. I have seen models made by the designer of this kit and he would have included ratlines!
I’ll continue to build my models by myself and leave promotion of the hobby to others.
Roger
- Joined
- May 25, 2020
- Messages
- 740
- Points
- 353
Too darn right, Paul!
- Joined
- May 25, 2020
- Messages
- 740
- Points
- 353
Pete! Thanks for the compliments! I appreciate the wisdom too. Was there ever a ship that was arranged and maintained by a commander with OCDC and was as clean as an operating room? I try to remember the concept of scale perspective whenever I look at a super closeup of my work and thinkWe modelers tend to obsess over things like are the sheer poles perfectly level. Whenever I've had the opportunity to see real 1:1 sailing ships, things such as sheer poles being level and how the rope is tied off on the lanyards, or even if the deadeyes are all nice and even, is a whole lot more loosie-goosy. "Anhhh...good enough!" seems to be fairly standard.
She's looking really good! Love the attention to detail!
Pete
. Appreciate you!Blessings.
Chuck
- Joined
- May 25, 2020
- Messages
- 740
- Points
- 353
What ho, shipmates!
I finally finished the ratlines! AND I was able to case the lower fore yard chain sling in a simulation of leather. At least to my satisfaction
Here's a pic of the ratlines. I used the thinnest line I could find and went with tan. In the pic the lines appear much thicker than in person. Perhaps I should have gone with black for the slimming effect Another thing that is strange in the instructions is the direction to leave ratlines off the main topmast. Why? There are ratlines on the fore topmast. The main topmast has sails and other things that a sailor would need to be able reach without growing a pair of wings. So, I went with logic and added ratlines to the main topmast shrouds. I deny any special expertise with the rigging of these ships, so if I'm wrong, I rely on one of you to let me know.
I am particularly please with the leather covering on the fore lower yard chain sling. I used some acrylic matte medium that was thickening-up to coat the chain. I let this dry a bit and added a second coat. I waited a little and rolled the chain in a single ply of Kleenex just enough to go around twice. I let it dry just a bit and placed it on the foremast in position over night. In the morning I took it off. The took a little prying with a toothpick because of the adhesive quality of the acrylic matte medium. But, I got it off without ruining the paint on the mast or the wrapping on the chain. I then painted it with what I have in my paint locker - Model Shipways Hull Red with some slight touches of Deckhouse Brown on the not quite dry Hull Red. As you can see, it had retained its shape and it is not so thick as to completely mask the fact that it is covering chain. This I may be totally wrong about, but, to me, the leather would not be so thick that the chain would leave no evidence of its existence. To the contrary, the leather was, in my imagination, thin and pliable enough to prevent the chain from chaffing the mast and to allow the chain to follow the contours of what it was wrapped around - so the chain would be evident in its leather sleeve. BTW - the color of the leather looks a lot less like raw liver in person
Thank you all for your likes and comments on my efforts!
Blessings.
Chuck
I finally finished the ratlines! AND I was able to case the lower fore yard chain sling in a simulation of leather. At least to my satisfaction
Here's a pic of the ratlines. I used the thinnest line I could find and went with tan. In the pic the lines appear much thicker than in person. Perhaps I should have gone with black for the slimming effect
Another thing that is strange in the instructions is the direction to leave ratlines off the main topmast. Why? There are ratlines on the fore topmast. The main topmast has sails and other things that a sailor would need to be able reach without growing a pair of wings. So, I went with logic and added ratlines to the main topmast shrouds. I deny any special expertise with the rigging of these ships, so if I'm wrong, I rely on one of you to let me know. I am particularly please with the leather covering on the fore lower yard chain sling. I used some acrylic matte medium that was thickening-up to coat the chain. I let this dry a bit and added a second coat. I waited a little and rolled the chain in a single ply of Kleenex just enough to go around twice. I let it dry just a bit and placed it on the foremast in position over night. In the morning I took it off. The took a little prying with a toothpick because of the adhesive quality of the acrylic matte medium. But, I got it off without ruining the paint on the mast or the wrapping on the chain. I then painted it with what I have in my paint locker - Model Shipways Hull Red with some slight touches of Deckhouse Brown on the not quite dry Hull Red. As you can see, it had retained its shape and it is not so thick as to completely mask the fact that it is covering chain. This I may be totally wrong about, but, to me, the leather would not be so thick that the chain would leave no evidence of its existence. To the contrary, the leather was, in my imagination, thin and pliable enough to prevent the chain from chaffing the mast and to allow the chain to follow the contours of what it was wrapped around - so the chain would be evident in its leather sleeve. BTW - the color of the leather looks a lot less like raw liver in person
Thank you all for your likes and comments on my efforts!
Blessings.
Chuck
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2024
- Messages
- 711
- Points
- 298
Chuck, Nice work as usual!
I believe that the reason for leaving he ratlines off the main topmast is that there are no square sails here; only the gaff topsail. I also believe that this sail could be set without climbing the topmast. I don’t have time at the moment but I’ll do some checking later today.
Roger
I believe that the reason for leaving he ratlines off the main topmast is that there are no square sails here; only the gaff topsail. I also believe that this sail could be set without climbing the topmast. I don’t have time at the moment but I’ll do some checking later today.
Roger
Roger is right about the top sails. It’s also on the schooners like the Bluenose. On that ship were only a few ratlines till the height where the lowered topsails with the mast hoops where collected. And on the main mast a few more then on the fore mast. To then temporarily tie them together with a line. But on your fore mast there is a square sail.
And I think that the gaff sails on your Harriet Lane were lowered to the fore mast.
Regards, Peter
Last edited: